Window and lock actuating device for automobiles



Nov. 26, 1929. s. w. NICHOLSON WINDOW AND LOCK ACTUATING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 18, 1928 Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STANLEY W. NICHOLSON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE LOCLTF COMPANY, 01?

TOLEDO, OHIO WINDOW AND LOCK AOTUATING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Applicationfiled January'lS, 1928. Serial No. 247,645.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in combined window.

operating and latch retracting devices, especiall adapted for application to autos mobile oors in which the glass or window element is raised and lowered by suitable gearing operated by a handle on the inside of the door, the object of the invention being to provide the operating handle with certain 19 accessories, whereby, when said handle is canted or tilted from its normal position for operating the window element, it establishes movement of the latch being efiected by the zo spring provided for that purpose, as soon as the operating handle aforesaid has been re-. leased or has been restored to its normal position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,iin which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an automobile door frame illustrating the application of a combined window operating and latch retracting device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the longitudmal axis of the handle operated'shaft and the associated means for operating the window element and retracting the latch, respectively. i

Fig. 3 is a perspective exploded View of the clutch device for connecting the handle with the latch retracting means.

Fig. 4C is a section on line 4-43: of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. 4

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view of the handle employed.

In my prior application Serial No. 219,463, filed September 14, 1927, I have described and illustrated a combined window operating and latch retracting mechanism, in which the operation of the window element was effected by a continuous rotation of the handle in one direction, the latch retracting function being 50 effected by a partial rotation of the operating handle in the opposite direction to that required to operate the window "element.

In practically all of the types of window operating mechanisms, the window element is raised or lowered by rotating the operating handle in one direction or the other, and the present invention is designed primarily to effect the retraction of the door latch by means of the window operating handle which is rotated in one direction to raise the window element and in the opposite direction to lower the same and, while I have illustrated the invention as involving a special type of window operating mechanism, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to said special type, but is applicable to any of the standard forms of window operating devices involving a rotatory handle, which is actuated in opposite directions to efi'ect the respective movements of the window element.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the frame of an automobile door or-the like carrying the usual sliding glass 2, which is guided in its opening and closing movements in slots 3 formed in the stiles of the door frame. Secured to the inside of the door stiles is a cross panel a, which constitutes a support for the door lock and the window or glass operating mechanism. llhe window operating mechanism per se is a modification of that shown in my co pending application aforesaid, in that it involves the rotation of the operating handle in one direction to raise the window element and the rotation of the handle in the opposite direction to lower said element, thereby conforming to general practice. As illustrated in Fig. 1, 5 indicates an arcuate trackway somewhat larger than a semi-circle, which is secured to the panel 4 by means of cross braces 6, 6, said trackway being formed of a metal channel section to serve as a guide for the floating gear 16, which actuates the window element.

Fixed to the cross braces 6, 6 are two plates 7 and 9, the former of which is provided with an enlarged hub section 8 which serves as a support for the drive shaft 10, which is held in osition by the plate 9. Said drive shaft is allow and rece ves the hub section 12 of 100 and the hub 12 for conjoint rotatory move ment in either direction, the spring clutch cooperating, to this end, with a longitudinal rib 13 on the hub 12, as indicated in Fig. 4. It will be seen, therefore, that there is a certain amount of lost motion in shaft 10, when the latter is rotated in either direction before the hub section 12 of the driving gear 14 is coupled to the shaft 10 by the sprlng clutch. Connected to one side of the periphery of the ring gear 16 is a pin 18, which engages an elongated slot 21 in the channel support 20 for the lower end of the sliding glass 2. Pivotally secured in the outer end of the shaft section 10 is a shaft extension including a squared section 22'and around section 23, the latter of which is telescoped in the hollow shaft 10 and is connected to the latter by a cross pin 24, so that the shaft extension is capable of atilting movement with respect to the p shaft section 10. Mounted on the squared section 22 of the shaft extension is a handle 25,

which is provided with a squared hub 26 having a squared opening engaging the squared portion of the shaft extension, the handle being secured to the extension by means of a screw 27.

Mounted on the squared hub 26 of the handle 25 is'onemember of a clutch which includes a dome-shaped section 28 having a central squared sleeve 29, which engages the squared hub 26 of the handle so as to partake o the rotatory and tilting movement of the handle, the annular rim of the clutch member 28 being provided with teeth or serrations 30. Rotatably mounted on the hub section 8 of the plate 7 is a second clutch member involving a disk 31 having a hub section 32, which engages the inner end of hub section 8, the peripheral edge of the disk beng provided with serrations or teeth with which the teeth 30 of the mating clutch member cooperate, when any portions of the peripheral edges of the respective clutch members are brought into juxtaposition. Interposed between the clutch members is an annular spring 34, which serves to normally separate the clutch members and, incidentally, to retain the shaft extension, to which the handle 25 is attached, in axial alignment with the shaft member 10.

Pivotally connected near the peripheryof the clutch member 31, by means of a stud or rivet 35, is a link member 36, the opposite end of which is secured to the end of the latch bolt 37 of the door lock 38, the parts being so arranged that, when a rotatory motion is imparted to the clutch member 31, in a clockwise direction, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the

link 36 will withdraw the latch 37 and permit "the opposite direction, which causes the ring gear 16 torotate about the axis of the gear 14 as a center and to roll in the arcuate track 5, the glass being completely raised when the pin 18 reaches its upper limit of movement, said pin traversing substantially a vertical line, as explained in my copending application aforesaid. It-will thus be seen that the window element 2 may be raised and lowered at will and to any desired extent by merely turning the handle 25 in the appropriate direction, and this operation will not effect the latch operating means, because the toothed edges 30 and 33 of the respective clutch members are held out of engagement at all oints by means of the interposed spring 34. Vhen, however, it is desired to retract the latch 37, to ermit the door to be opened, it is necessary only to tilt the handle 25 to cause the teeth on the clutch member 28 to engage the corresponding teeth members on the clutch member 31 and cause said teeth to interlock at one peripheral section. This tilting of the handle is eifected'by reason of the pivotal connection shaft 10, about which latter the clutch member 31 is capable of limited rotation. After the clutch members 28 and 31 have been thus engaged, a partial rotation of the handle 25 will cause a corresponding movement of the interlocked clutch members and the link member 36 will retract the latch 37. As the move ment necessary to release the latch 37 is slight, it will be apparent that the rotatory movement of the handle 25, necessary to retract the latch, may readily be confined within the limits of the lost motion between thebetween the shaft extension 22 and the hollow shaft 10 and the driving gear 14, due to the two-way spring clutch connecting the shaft 10 and the hub 12 of the driving gear, so that the operations of tilting the handle to engage the clutch members and the partial rotation of the handle to release the latch will not efiect any movement of the glass or window element 2. Furthermore, as soon as the'latch has been withdrawn and the handle 25 is permitted to be returned to its normal position by the clutch spring 34, the clutch members are disengaged and the latch isalso returned to its normal projected relation by the spring of the mechanism are restored to normal relation.

As hereinbcfore explained, the invention is not limited to the particular form of window o erating mechanism as described, but is app icable to any type of window operating device in which the handle may be tilted to effect engagement of the clutch members, so that a subsequent partial rotation of the handle will retract the latch.

mat I claim is:

1. The combination of a window operating device, including a rotary and tiltable handle, and a door latc retractin device including means operatively engage when the handle is tilted.

2. The combination of a window operating device, including gearing for raising and lowering the window element, and a rotary and tiltable handle for operating said gearing; and adoor latch retracting device including rotary clutch members for operatively connecting the retracting device and the handle when the latter is tilted.

3. The combination of a window operating device, including gearing for raising and lowering the window element, a drive shaft for said gearing, and a handle tiltably connected to said drive shaft; and a door latch retracting device including rotary clutch members for operativel connecting the retracting device and the andle when the latter is tilted.

4. The combination of a. window operating device, including gearing for raising and lowering the window element, a drive shaft for said gearing, and a handle tiltably connected to said drive shaft; and a door latch retracting device including rotary clutch members, one fast to said handle and the other rotatable on said drive shaft, said clutch members operatively connecting the retracting device and the handle when the latter is tilted.

5. A combined window operating and door latch retracting device comprising gearing for raising and lowering the window element, a drive shaft for said gearing, a handle for rotating said shaft and tiltably connected thereto, a link for retracting the latch, a clutch member loose on the drive shaft and connected to said link, and a clutch member fast to said handle and adapted to operatively engage the other clutch member and retract the latch when the handle is tilted and partially ro tatcd.

6. A combined Window operating and door latch retracting device comprising gearing for raising and lowering the window element, a drive shaft for said gearing, a handle for rotating said shaft and tiltably connected thereto, a link for retractin the latch, a clutch member'loose on the rive shaft and connected to said link, a clutch member fast to said handle and adapted to operatively engage the other clutch member and retract the latch when the handle is tilted and par- 

